George H.W. Bush to spend Christmas in hospital

Former President George H.W. Bush on hand on Salute To Service day before the Houston Texans play the Buffalo Bills at Reliant Stadium on November 4, 2012 in Houston, Texas. (Bob Levey/Getty Images)

HOUSTON -- Former President George H.W. Bush has taken a turn for the worse.

Bush developed a fever and will spend Christmas in a Texas hospital.

A hospital spokesman had said last week that doctors expected Bush to be released in time to spend Christmas at home. His doctors now say they are "cautiously optimistic" that the 88-year-old Bush will recover.

Bush's spokesman Jim McGrath said the president came down with a fever last week, and doctors are also trying to balance his medications and help him regain strength. McGrath says Bush has largely overcome the painful, lingering cough that initially brought him to Methodist Hospital on Nov. 23.